Soft spots by backstay plates in transom

[Cloudspin]

While cleaning inside the boat noticed what looked like cracks in the transom . I crawled back to find about 4" cracks in the upper corner about where the the backstay plate would be.  Checked the other side to also find a crack by other backstay plate

Can you cut out sections and replace them or would you have to replace the whole transom?  I broke off a 2" piece of fiberglass and pressed a screwdriver in and it was soft.  It's a 1990 J22.

The outside of the transom looks good and seems hard and I never would have expected what I found inside.

 

 

[TyeDyedGary]

  Your Backstay Tangs were not bedded properly and allowed water incursion. Check locally with other boaters as to who does the best fiberglass repair work and have them make the repairs. They will be able to tell you if the whole transom needs replacement or just area around the tangs. When they are finished you will need to have your boat reweighed, and measured.